Burning Calories by Raking Leaves

The calories that we burn during an exercise vary depending on body mass and the frequency of the said activity, the intensity and the duration of the exercise. If you want to lose weight, remember that 3,500 calories is approximately equivalent to 1 lb. of fat. Therefore, you should burn 3,500 calories more than you take in, regardless of what type of exercise or the intensity of that exercise.

Calories are burned when raking leaves in your yard. A study showed that a 125 lb. person raking a yard for 30 minutes will burn 120 calories. A 155 lb. person doing the same will burn 149 calories. Here is a data of how much calories are burned when raking leaves for an hour, according to a study done by the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal:

•    130 lbs : 254 calories burned
•    155 lbs : 303 calories burned
•    180 lbs : 351 calories burned
•    205 lbs : 400 calories burned

But I guess this will really depend on how big your yard is and how often you rake it. Raking is one form of exercise which is really to your benefit. It is like hitting two birds with one stone! Why? You lose all your unwanted calories and in the process clean your yard! But the downside of this exercise is that when the leaves stop falling then you also stop raking.

Calories are burned when raking leaves and these calories accrue in time if you do it every day. You use your arms when raking the leaves and you do footwork by moving around the yard. Just remember to wear enough protection from the heat and rays of the sun. Don't worry if your yard is small because all the calories that you burn from raking everyday will add up to the desired calories you need to lose. And there is always the backyard to rake too. And if you still feel that you haven't burned off the calories you think you need to lose, why not rake your neighbor's yard too. You burn off all the unwanted calories and you earn extra money!

Now, isn't that a cool way to lose all the unwanted calories in your body? Raking leaves for just 10 minutes counts toward the 150 minutes of moderate aerobic or cardiovascular exertion recommended per week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for adults 18 to 64 years old. So, even our grandparents can do this on a regular basis. At least this is an easy way of exercising for a 64 year old person.

Raking leaves can also be your way of bonding with the family, so this task can be done with the whole family. Raking your yard need not be considered a tedious work, or one of the household chores. You can think of it as an exercise so that you can look forward to doing it every day because you know that however you take it, it is beneficial to you.